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Authorities: Couple set home on fire, burned van because it was 'full of evil'

A Nashville couple is facing aggravated arson charges in connection with a Thursday fire that destroyed their Hermitage home hours before they arrived in Springfield, set fire to their van and tried to push it into oncoming traffic, claiming that it was “full of evil,” according to authorities.

A Nashville couple is facing aggravated arson charges in connection with a Thursday fire that destroyed their Hermitage home hours before they arrived in Springfield, set fire to their van and tried to push it into oncoming traffic, claiming that it was “full of evil,” according to authorities.

Stephen William Comiskey, 49, and his wife Donie Joe Beth Comiskey, 41, remained jailed in Robertson County Monday afternoon on charges related to the Springfield incident, but a hold had been placed on the couple from Metro authorities, according to Joseph Pleasant, a spokesman for the Nashville Fire Department.

Nashville firefighters were called to the Comiskey home on Hallford Court in Hermitage at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday to find the structure fully ablaze, Pleasant said. He noted that the home was a total loss.

On Saturday, investigators from Nashville interviewed Stephen Comiskey, who admitted that he and his wife were at the house just before the fire began and they’d left to look at another house in Hendersonville, Pleasant said.

“Multiple witnesses at the scene said they saw him leave the driveway at a high rate of speed in the white van,” the spokesman said Monday. “There were flames visible coming from the rear corner of the home as they left.”

It was not clear how long the couple had lived in Hermitage, but Pleasant said they did not own the home and had talked with their landlord about moving out.

About two hours later, the couple was at the KFC restaurant on Memorial Boulevard in Springfield, where a passerby observed Stephen Comiskey pouring gas in the back of his van, according to Springfield Police Chief David Thompson.

“He lit the gas and put the van in drive because his intention was for the van to run into traffic, but because of the way the KFC was designed there, the van hung up on curb and stayed where it was,” Thompson said.

When an officer arrived on the scene, the couple had gone across the street to a nearby business, broken a glass plate door, went inside and came back out, where they were confronted by the officer, Thompson said.

They continued on foot towards Crain’s Automotive, ignoring the officer, and at some point, Stephen Comiskey turned to attack the officer, the chief said.

“Initially, he came after officer with his fists clenched,” Thompson said, noting that the officer shocked him with a Taser, but that did not stop him. “He’s swinging at the officer, and there were some citizens nearby watching all of this, who helped the officer get him subdued.

“It’s great that others were willing to jump in and help.”

The entire incident lasted about five to 10 minutes, the chief said.

The officer suffered minor injuries.

“During a later interview, the wife told us they were ‘on a mission to save the world from evil,’” Thompson said. “This is someone who is clearly out of touch with reality."

This is not the first time the couple has had a run-in with the law, according to Pleasant.

In August, the Nashville Fire Department spokesman said crews had to fish Stephen Comiskey and his 12-year-old daughter out of the Cumberland River.

Stephen Comiskey was charged with reckless endangerment as a result of that incident, which occurred about 1 a.m. on Aug. 6.

Metro police said he awakened his daughter and took her to the Silliman Evans Bridge in a white cargo van, driving the wrong way on Interstate 24 East before stopping.

He then told his daughter that they had to jump into the river to protect themselves, according to police.

When rescue boats arrived, Comiskey refused to allow his daughter to board, saying fire department personnel were part of a conspiracy, but he eventually relented and allowed them both to be rescued, police said.

The girl was unharmed.

Comiskey was hospitalized, released and later arrested at his residence. He was released from the Metro jail on $11,000 bond and is due in court to face the charge on Jan. 17, 2018, according to the Metro Nashville Criminal Court Clerk’s Office website.

In Springfield, Comiskey has been charged with evading arrest, burglary, resisting arrest, aggravated assault and vandalism and was being held on $245,000 bond as of Monday afternoon, according to the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office website.

His wife is charged with burglary and evading arrest and was being held on $40,000 bond, the website said.